Monday, March 8, 2010

Blueprint: Volunteer opportunities, calendar
To sign up for any activities listed on this page, call HandsOn NEGA at (706) 353-1313. For a complete listing of all upcoming events and opportunities, visit onlineathens.com/blueprint.

Georgia quarterback arrested
Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger was arrested early Sunday morning and is facing five misdemeanor charges: underage possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, obstruction and two counts of possession of false identification in an incident near Valdosta.

Hustler seeking crime-scene photos of killed UGA grad
ATLANTA — A freelance writer requested crime-scene photos of the nude, decapitated body of University of Georgia graduate Meredith Emerson on behalf of Hustler magazine, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is refusing to comply while the House rushes through a law to block the release of similar photos.

Small Biz: Wedding expert starts shop, education venture
Genie Snyder Chamberlin has built a reputation as a wedding consultant and special-event designer for 25 years. Her expertise has developed from coordinating countless weddings and decorating homes for holidays and special occasions.

Carroll: Government has ethical obligation
Make no mistake about it. "Big government" is one of the biggest businesses on the face of the Earth and its "business ethics" deserve careful scrutiny. And, some of what is said about the federal government also applies to state and local governments.

Califf: Google case in Italy may alter Web experience
"Don't be Evil" is the well-known and beloved motto of the search engine altruist Google, so the Italian court system's recent finding that three Google executives were guilty of violating Italian privacy laws, seems somewhat paradoxical.

Cyclist hit by SUV on North Peter Street
The driver of a dark-colored SUV failed to stop after hitting a cyclist along North Peter Street near Branch Street about 12:50 p.m. Saturday, according to an Athens-Clarke police report.

Bike rider dies of wreck injuries
A man died from injuries he sustained when he was struck by a van while riding his bike early Saturday morning, according to Athens-Clarke County police.

Man, woman found squatting in hotel
The manager of the Campus Inn, located at 3425 Atlanta Highway, watched three people run into the woods about 8:45 p.m. Saturday after he confronted them about staying in a hotel room they hadn’t paid for, according to
an Athens-Clarke police report.

Man reports break-in after suspicious call
A Chesterton Drive man told Athens-Clarke police that suspected burglars called ahead to make sure he wouldn’t be home while they attempted to break-in, according to a report.

Equestrian falls to No. 2 Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. - Winning two disciplines and two of four riding events on Saturday, No. 2 Auburn posted an 11-6 victory over No. 1 Georgia at the Auburn Equestrian Center.

Smith: Money tarnishing the college game
In Darrell Royal’s heyday at Texas, a Northern sportswriter visited Austin and got swept up in the emotion of Longhorn football, which prompted him to exclaim: “Is there any sport in Texas other than football?”

Ethics code for schools up for vote
The sometimes gritty process of lawmaking resumes Monday, when the Georgia General Assembly returns from a two-week recess dominated by confrontations over how best to cut millions of dollars in state spending.

Doug McKilip: Legislator has plan to save UGA
We have cut all we can. We have furloughed teachers, we have reduced travel, and we have honestly eliminated all the possible "inefficiencies" at the University of Georgia. We simply cannot cut any more.

Stephen V. McGarity: UGA president should take pay cut
As the University of Georgia faces an additional $60 million reduction to an already scant budget, there are two ways UGA President Michael Adams can address this dire situation. The first is to do exactly what he's doing now, which includes talking about the effect such budget cuts will have on university faculty, staff and students, and how grateful he is for the sacrifices that faculty, staff and students have been making.

Waco Ouin: 4-H brings tuition dollars to university
I was a district 4-H officer, a state 4-H officer, a master 4-H'er and a camp counselor at Rock Eagle. I can honestly say that everything good I've accomplished in life is a result of the self-confidence, leadership and public-speaking skills that I developed in 4-H.

Mark Farmer: Don't 'undo' university's charter
As our elected representatives in Atlanta contemplate drastic funding reductions to the University System of Georgia - including the University of Georgia, its flagship institution - they might do well to remember the wisdom of a previous Georgia legislature, which on Jan. 27, 1785, established UGA as the first state-supported university in the free world.

Blueprint: Volunteer opportunities, calendar
To sign up for any activities listed on this page, call HandsOn NEGA at (706) 353-1313. For a complete listing of all upcoming events and opportunities, visit onlineathens.com/blueprint

Rossiter: Patriarch left legacy of love
Joe Eterno was a good-looking Italian with a stubborn streak that once ran 25-feet-long on paper. This week, his memory insisted I stop dwelling on his World War II letter and start listening to his daughter, Rose Adams.

Plan a family reunion on a budget with this workshop
The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau will host a free Family Reunion Workshop 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Country Inn & Suites, 236 Old Epps Bridge Road in Athens. Reunions continue to grow in popularity, and the current economy has family reunion organizers searching for budget-friendly and convenient locations.

Tedrow: Did freezing weather damage my camellias?
With all the extreme freezes that have hit this area in the past couple of months, how do you tell if your camellias have been badly damaged? My shrubs have darkened leaves now. Will those dark leaves die soon?

'Locker' wins top prizes
LOS ANGELES — The Iraq War drama “The Hurt Locker” won Best Picture and five other prizes at the Academy Awards, its haul including Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow and Original Screenplay for Mark Boal.

U.S. troops withdrawing en masse from Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — U.S. troops are withdrawing from the shattered capital, leaving many Haitians anxious that the most visible portion of international help is ending even as the city still is mired in misery and vulnerable to unrest.

Vote a key test for democracy
BAGHDAD - Billed as a key test of Iraq's nascent democracy, Iraqis fear today's parliamentary election will lead to a protracted period of uncertainty as the winners and losers try to cobble together a new government - even as American forces prepare to go home.

Taliban leader believed killed in strike
ISLAMABAD - A top Pakistani Taliban commander close to al-Qaida is believed to have been killed in an army airstrike, officials said Saturday, in the latest apparent blow to insurgents who have attacked Pakistan and threatened U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

Three Dems unsure about changing votes
WASHINGTON — A top House Democrat said Sunday he thinks Congress will pass a health care bill, but three fellow Democrats who opposed overhaul legislation last fall aren’t committing themselves to backing President Obama’s late push.

President listens as Afghans complain
MARJAH, Afghanistan — Elders in a former Taliban stronghold berated and challenged Afghanistan’s president Sunday, delivering a litany of complaints about government corruption and NATO’s military operations on the Afghan leader’s first visit to Marjah.

Iraqi voters undaunted by attacks
BAGHDAD — Iraqis defied insurgents who lobbed hand grenades at voters and bombed a polling station Sunday in an attempt to intimidate those taking part in elections that will determine whether their country can overcome deep sectarian divides as U.S. forces prepare to leave.

Looters return stolen items in Chile
CONCEPCION, Chile — The officers came with bullhorns to impoverished neighborhoods near the epicenter of Chile’s devastating earthquake, warning looters to return what they stole or face police raids.

Pakistan arrests al-Qaida member
KARACHI, Pakistan — The American-born spokesman for al-Qaida has been arrested by Pakistani intelligence officers in the southern city of Karachi, two officers and a government official said Sunday as video emerged of him urging U.S. Muslims to attack their own country.

McCain battles view he's too moderate
TUCSON, Ariz. - Amid criticism that he's too moderate, Sen. John McCain on Saturday said the Arizona GOP Senate primary should be about fixing the economy, not political ideology.

Marjah chief's crime record will be probed
KABUL - Afghan government officials are not rushing to oust the man they chose to bring fresh and credible governance to a town just seized from the Taliban, but his newly disclosed violent criminal record in Germany will be investigated further, officials said Saturday.

Ed chief's visit irks Alabama black leaders
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama's Legislative Black Caucus on Saturday called on U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to cancel a planned appearance at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery.

Early results: Iceland voters reject debt deal
REYKJAVIK, Iceland - Still furious over the crippling aftermath of the global financial crisis, Iceland's voters on Saturday resoundingly rejected a $5.3 billion plan to pay off Britain and the Netherlands for debts spawned by the collapse of an Icelandic Internet bank, according to initial results.

Virginia colleges can't ban gay discrimination
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia's attorney general has advised the state's public colleges that they don't have the authority to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, saying only the General Assembly has that power.

Toyota aims to counter electronics claims
NEW YORK - Toyota Motor Corp. plans Monday to try to undercut suggestions that its electronics systems caused the sudden acceleration problems that led to the recall of more than 8 million vehicles.

Neighbors barely knew the Pentagon shooter
HOLLISTER, Calif. - John Patrick Bedell was a brilliant and seemingly gentle computer whiz, yet so withdrawn that people in this rural community where his parents and grandparents are civic leaders knew little about him - until he opened fire at the Pentagon this week.

Mental status again issue in stabbing case
Jurors summoned to decide the fate of a man charged with trying to murder an Athens-Clarke police officer may consider instead whether he is too mentally ill to stand trial - again.

State of shock over budget cuts
Thousands of people in Athens and across the state have organized and started to rally in the past week to save three University of Georgia units that could be axed from next year's budget.

Rare open seat draws candidates
For every middle-aged conservative politician in the Eastern Atlanta suburbs who ever wanted to go to Washington, now's your chance.

Will catching rain catch on with public?
ATLANTA - Legislation to encourage water conservation seemed to Eddie Van Giesen the perfect opportunity for persuading policymakers to latch onto the idea of rainwater harvesting.

Huckaby: Don't take away Georgia's 4-H
There's that great scene in "Gone with the Wind" in which Rhett has come back from Europe with a pretty new bonnet for the recently widowed Scarlett O'Hara Kennedy.

Architects tweak plans after panels give input
WINTERVILLE - Locals who want to give new life to an old school are fine-tuning the grant application that could turn Winterville's historic school building into a hub for senior programs in Eastern Clarke County.

The Week in Review
A look back at the top stories of the week in the Athens Banner-Herald and OnlineAthens.com.

Commerce students to visit Gold Dome
Students from Commerce Primary School will join children from a dozen other schools across Georgia on Tuesday for the sixth annual Capitol Tech event at the State Capitol Building.

Editorial: Let's be sensible out there, students
Not that anything remotely similar is expected to happen in this state as plans for a March 15 protest over higher-education budget cuts move forward, but college students and others understandably vexed by the deep fiscal slashing proposed for Georgia's public colleges and universities should take a lesson from protests elsewhere in the nation last week.

Breathing through the noise of social media
Way back in the 20th century, "buzz" was the je ne sais quoi of the marketing world. Every company wanted it, but few presumed to know how to get it. Back then, corporations generally lobbed their products into the marketplace, bombarded consumers with repetitive messages and sat back and prayed that buzz magically would appear.

NeSmith: There's a road for returning to American way
America, we need to wake up and look in the mirror. Staring back at us is the ugly truth: We are the problem. If we don't come to grips with reality and change direction, the most advanced nation in the world is going to lose its coveted place.

The Editor's Desk
DANCIN' FOOL: Yep, that's just what I've become, although far more in the sense of the Frank Zappa song ("When they see me comin'/They all steps aside/They has a fit while I commit/My social suicide") than in the sense of the Barry Manilow song of that title ("When those trumpets blare, man/I ain't got a care man/I'm like Fred Astaire man/Cool!").

Editorial: Legislators could pay tuition out of own cut to salary
As they search for ways to cut the University System of Georgia's budget by almost $600 million for the upcoming fiscal year - the $265 million in cuts proposed in Gov. Sonny Perdue's spending plan, plus an additional $300 million to help the state government cope with declining tax revenues in a still-sour economy - legislators are beginning to insist that the system's highest-paid administrators put some skin in the game.

Random Thoughts: Obama unqualified for office
President Obama is extremely naive, but does a great job reading from teleprompters. He has absolutely no business experience, nor do most of his appointees. We can get rid of him in three years, though, before he ruins the country.

What Others Say: Clinton snubs Britain
What was she thinking? By taking a last-minute detour, on her five-day trip to Latin America, to visit President Fernandez de Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Hillary Clinton has - recklessly - given the appearance of throwing America's weight behind Argentina in its row with Britain over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

Towery: No major poll favors Obama health plan
In my entire career, I've never been as confounded as I am over President Obama and the Democratic leadership's obsession with a piece of legislation that not one major national poll has shown to be popular. A quick glance at last week's surveys shows about a 10 percent spread between those who favor the latest health care legislation and those who oppose it.

Holmes: Humanitarian missions a big bet for Navy
You've probably seen it by now: the U.S. Navy is running a recruiting commercial portraying itself as "a global force for good." Many of the clips feature Navy personnel rendering humanitarian assistance in stricken nations. Traditional missions like pummeling enemy fleets or projecting power ashore barely register. No guns are blazing here.

Forum: Outsourcing security is dangerous for nation's defense
As Americans, we always have prided ourselves on the strength, conduct and honor of our U.S. military. We are therefore disturbed that, in the midst of two wars and a global struggle against terrorism, our nation increasingly has come to rely on outside corporations to provide for our national defense.

Bulldogs complete their third no-hitter in three days
With Florida and Alabama waiting in the wings, No. 4 Georgia put the finishing touches on its pre-Southeastern Conference schedule Sunday with an 8-0 no-hit victory in five innings over Middle Tennessee in the final game of the 2010 Bulldog Invitational.

Softball has second no-hitter of weekend
The No. 4 Georgia softball team extended its winning streak to 15 games (and its home winning streak to 17 games) Saturday with an 8-0 no-hitter against Minnesota and an 8-2 victory over Elon in the second day of the Bulldog Invitational.

VanHoose: Feud takes wrong turn
When NASCAR officials announced during the offseason that they were giving drivers the control to police each other on the track, they wanted to see some emotion and contact.

Villegas rallies, keeps Honda lead
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Ashes fell from the sky, smoke filled the air and a thick haze hovered over PGA National.
Some might have found breathing difficult at the Honda Classic.

Hanson sharp in second start
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - This time last year, Tommy Hanson was a confident prospect who knew it wouldn't be long until he made the major leagues.

League suspends Ferguson eight games
MIAMI - Free agent Jason Ferguson, a veteran nose tackle most recently with the Miami Dolphins, has been suspended for the first eight games of next season for violating NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Childress travels to visit Favre
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress paid a visit to Brett Favre at his Hattiesburg, Miss., home this week to check how his quarterback was recovering from injuries sustained in the NFC title game.

Bauerle alma mater to honor his career today
Georgia swim coach Jack Bauerle will be inducted into the La Salle College High School Hall of Fame today. Bauerle is a 1970 graduate of the school, which is located in Wyndmoor, Pa., some 30 miles outside of Philadelphia.

Majester's vault an NCAA qualifier
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Georgia's Kat Majester's pole vault of 13 feet, 111/4 inches on Saturday wasn't just her career best but it was also an automatic qualifying performance for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Lady Vols cruise past Vandy into title game
DULUTH - The rest of the Southeastern Conference has only one more chance to disprove a conclusion stated by Tennessee coach Pat Summitt after her team's 13th straight win.

Stanford finishes off unbeaten Pac-10 run
BERKELEY, Calif. - Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Stanford completed its first unbeaten run through the Pac-10 schedule since 2002 on Saturday with a 62-48 win over California.

Huskies equal own record for longest win streak
HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut won its 70th consecutive game, routing Syracuse 77-41 in the Big East quarterfinals on Sunday to tie its own record for the longest winning streak in women's college basketball.